Twisted
by Hopesjourney
Summary: This is an A/U Moonlight story. What if Mick actually enjoyed being a vampire? How would that change things?
1. Chapter 1

Twisted

"Mick! MIICCKKK!" This was accompanied by loud banging on the door. "MICK!"

Josef looked at Mick who was sitting on the couch, feeding from a tall red-head, her sounds of pleasure driving his desire. He jerked in response to Beth's loud banging on the door and her shrill calling of his name. He had had a really rough night.

2 hours earlier…

It all started with Lee Jay, the worthless and diabolical bastard who had boldly called him out earlier when he was at Beth's apartment. Lee Jay had forced his hand and it had ended badly – for Lee Jay that is and damn near for Mick as well.

After Lee Jay had shot him, not once but twice Beth had rushed in, brandishing his gun and shot Lee Jay in the neck. Mick could have applauded her actions if it hadn't pissed him off so much to see her in there, flagrantly disobeying his orders to stay in the car. She came riding in like the Lone Ranger to save his ass and she had done it; her shot rang true. The look of surprise on Lee Jays face as his life blood trickled out between his fingers as he clutched the wound in his neck was poetic justice to Mick. The only thing better would have been to have a taste of the bastard's blood before he got the hell out of Dodge, but time wouldn't allow it. He could hear the sirens and knew the police were on the doorstep; what was called for was a quick exit, which left Beth holding the gun, literally.

He had managed to slide out unnoticed by Beth. A last look at the shock on her face alarmed and concerned him but he didn't have the time or the stamina to help her then; it was almost more than he could manage to stagger to the Benz and call Josef.

He fought the effects of the silver and the over-whelming need to just pass out all the way back to the loft, where Josef was meeting him. He stumbled out of the elevator at the apartment straight into Josef's arms. Josef had half-drug, half-carried him into the room and laid him on the dining room table that had been cleared. He popped open a bag of blood and handed it to Mick and then proceeded to pull Mick's duster and shirt off; not that there was much left of either one. They fell to the floor unnoticed as Josef assessed the wounds; he knew he would have to work quickly to get the silver out of Mick.

He noticed that Mick had finished the first bag of blood and handed him another before he started probing the numerous wounds in Mick's back. The metallic clinks of the silver buckshot sounded brassy as they were dropped into a glass jar, almost musical Josef thought. One, two, a dozen more pieces were torn from Micks body before they were done. Mick had finished a third bag of blood by then and was starting to look a bit better.

"I've got some girls coming over so you can get some fresh blood in you Mick. You need it!" Josef told him, screwing the lid back on the jar.

Mick picked it up and turned it over, looking at all the pieces of bullets and buck shot that it held. In other circumstances he might be fascinated by it but right now he still felt like shit. He nodded and said, "Yeah, I do need it. Who's coming over?"

"Meghan, Amber, Cassidy – I know how you like the red!" his friend said with a lop-sided grin. "You just fed from Penny last night, so it's too soon for her right now!"

Mick nodded and made his way upstairs to the bedroom to grab a shirt from the closet. He pulled a charcoal gray Henley out and slid it over his head before heading back downstairs, just as the girls arrived. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as he stared at them all; bright, beautiful gems decorating his living room. His fangs ached with anticipation of the warm blood that would soon be filling his mouth. It called to him, sang to him and he took a seat on the couch and held out a hand to Amber, who took it happily and settled down on his lap, a knowing smile on her face.

Josef grinned, a toothy grin showing his fangs and settled into the chair across from the couch, pulling Cassidy down with him. He felt in the mood for a snack himself and Cassidy would do quite well. Soon her warm body was snuggled against his and he inhaled deeply, smelling the spicy scent of her blood before he gently sank his fangs into her neck.

Across the room Amber was moaning softly as the pleasure of his bite took her. Mick sucked gently on her delicate neck, savoring the heated blood that flowed into his waiting mouth. His eyes were closed in pleasure as well; this was what being a vamp was all about. With each mouthful the unadulterated joy thrilled him, warmed him in a way nothing else could.

"Mick! MIICCKKK!" The loud banging interrupted his thoughts and before he realized it the door was flung open and Beth stormed into the room. A shocked cry was torn from her throat as she took in the scene in front of her; the girls limp in the men's arms, blood trickling from their mouths. She could see the other man's eyes and they glowed, bluish-white. They looked almost ghoulish. And my God, it looked like they both had fangs!

She felt something twist in her back and slowly creep its way upward, turning her inside-out. Goose bumps covered her body as she stared unblinkingly at what she saw. What she believed she saw.

_Oh my God! Did they kill them?_ It was her last thought before she fainted and slid to the floor.

MLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLML

"SHIT!" Mick exclaimed, practically throwing Amber's limp body away from him in his haste to get to Beth who lie in a crumpled heap on the floor. She was pale, her skin almost translucent in the dim light of the loft. He could hear her heart beating steadily, but her breathing was a bit shallow he thought.

Josef had joined him as he knelt on the floor by Beth's body. "Wow, no wonder you follow her around everywhere Mick!" He inhaled deeply, appreciating the warm, fragrant smell of Beth's blood. "She smells delicious!"

Mick grabbed Josef by the collar, totally vamped out and hissed, "You keep your nose and your fangs to yourself Josef!" They were nose to nose and Josef could feel Mick's cool breath in his face. He shrugged and gave Mick a quick grin.

"It's NOT about the blood, man!" Mick said, pushing Josef away.

"Of course it's about the blood; everything is about blood Mick. You're a vampire!"

Mick gave Josef a disgusted look before scooping Beth up in his arms to carry her to the couch. "Get Amber up off of the couch. In fact, get the girls and get the hell out of here!"

Meghan was standing by with Cassidy, watching what was going on. Amber had sat up on the couch and Mick almost felt guilty as he looked at her as she tried to clear her head. He liked Amber; she was one of his favorites and she'd given him a freebie a time or two, unbeknownst to Josef. It was their little secret and they had shared it happily in the past. Now, well, he just needed her and the others gone before Beth woke up.

"Come along ladies, we'll take this little party back to my place! See you later Mick!" he said. The girls followed suit, telling Mick goodbye as they followed Josef out the door of the loft. Mick made sure the door was locked this time, regretting his mistake earlier in not doing that. Of course, he kind of had other things on his mind right then, like surviving.

Blood was life for a vamp; fresh blood was the best, warming and thrilling them. Seeking it was part of the thrill, finding it was the exquisite reward. The joy a vamp felt as the warmth of fresh blood filled their mouths and hit their senses was indescribable to a human but he lived for it. He thought about some of the vamps who existed solely on the dead, bagged stuff and actually felt sorry for them. Whether it was their choice or they just couldn't afford fresh, well either way it was just a shame.

He placed a cool, damp cloth on Beth's forehead and waited anxiously for her to wake up. He finally saw her eyes start to flutter a bit and a small sigh of relief escaped him as he watched her begin to stir.

_I know what you are Mick. _

Lee Jay's words rushed through her mind while she gradually flowed back to consciousness. She was laying on something soft and she sensed someone near her. Almost afraid to do so, she slowly opened her eyes and peeked out around the room. Mick was sitting on the coffee table in front of her, his elbows resting on his knees as he eyed her watchfully. She realized there was a cool cloth on her forehead when she tried to sit up abruptly and it slid down across her face and landed on her chest.

"Hey, hey Beth, take it easy," Mick said to her, speaking softly.

Fear raced through her, making her heart beat frantically. Mick heard it and reached out a hand to steady her as she tried to struggle to her feet. Her eyes opened wide with her fear as she tried to move away as quickly as possible. Mick pulled his hand back and said, "You're okay Beth. I'm not going to hurt you." He smiled at her, hoping it would help to alleviate her fear.

Beth managed to get to her feet and looked around the room. The other man and the girls were gone and she wondered briefly if she had imagined them in the first place. A lot had happened this evening, maybe she had. She licked her lips nervously and finally said, "Where are the other people who were here?"

Mick swallowed hard and briefly rubbed the bridge of his nose while he figured out what to say to her. Finally he said, "Josef and the girls are gone now. We're alone."

Beth's eyes darted to the door, wondering if she could make it there before he caught her. Lee Jay's words echoed over and over in her head as what she had seen repeated in Technicolor in her head. The blood…the limp girls laying across the men's laps, the other girl who just stood by watching, not trying to help them. They had looked stoned or drugged or something; maybe dead? She didn't know, but she didn't want to stick around to find out either. She started to move slowly towards the door hoping to make her escape.

"Beth, don't!" Mick said as he realized what she was doing. He moved to get between her and the door, reaching out to take her hand to hopefully lead her back to the couch because she was still very pale and shaky.

"NO!" she practically yelled as she pulled her hand away from his. Her hand almost felt on fire, or maybe that was because his felt icy cold. She wiped her hand down the leg of her pants, unconscious of doing so. She stared at her hand for a moment and watched as it trembled; whether with fear from the adrenalin rush she was feeling or just from the contact with Mick she wasn't sure. She finally stuck it in her pocket and looked up at Mick. His face was alert as he stood by the door. She was sure he wasn't going to allow her to leave and she started to panic again.

"I uh, really need to be leaving now – now that I know that you are alright I, I guess," she said hesitantly as she tried to inch closer to the door.

"Beth, don't you think we should talk?" He smiled at her and met her gaze levelly. She blinked and took a deep breath to try to calm down a bit.

"Wh – why? I mean, you're okay so I should just go!"

"I know you must have questions about, uh about things. C'mon, sit down and we'll talk." He moved away from the door and walked around the couch to sit down in the chair again.

Beth looked at the door longingly and then at Mick. He didn't look scary to her so she took a deep breath and sat down on the edge of the couch, rubbing her palms against the cloth of her slacks.

_I know what you are Mick!_

The words continued to reverberate through her head on some sort of sickening loop. What did they mean? She cleared her throat and spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "What did Lee Jay mean? What did I see when I walked in here Mick?"

Mick's eyebrow quirked upward as he listened to her questions. He met her gaze and finally said, "What do you think you saw Beth?"

So he was going to play games, she thought. She was quickly going from terror to just plain being pissed off. Her eyes narrowed as she returned his stare. Her hands were trembling again, this time from anger.

Mick could smell the irritation rolling off of her in waves now and mentally shook his head. At least she wasn't scared any longer, making him feel even more monster like than usual. He waited for her to speak.

Suddenly Beth stood up, her fists balled at her sides. Her blue eyes were suddenly full of sparks as she spoke to him. "Don't give me that shit Mick! What the hell did I see? WHAT ARE YOU? Why did Lee Jay say 'I know what you are'?"

He hung his head while he tried to compose his thoughts. His voice froze in his throat as he tried to get them out. She sure as hell had seen more than he wanted her to see.

"What? No answers? Did I walk in on some sort of kinky orgy thing? It sure looked like it, that girl passed out in your lap and that other guy? What was up with him? For god's sake he had blood around his mouth and his eyes were glowing! WHAT IS GOING ON?"

She took a deep breath, gulping a huge breath of air down before continuing. "And how did you get back here anyway? He shot you! I saw the blood! I killed the bastard, you know that? I shot him, I shot another human being and you just ran away, leaving me there!" Tears started streaking down her face in hot torrents.

Mick scented her salty tears and they broke his undead heart. She was hurt and confused and she didn't deserve either; she had saved him and he had left her there to face it all alone.

"Beth, I, I…" he broke off, not sure what to say. Did he dare tell her the truth?

"Look, just forget it okay? She started around the couch again and added, "Just stay the hell away from me, okay? Stay away…"

Before she could blink Mick was in front of her and pulled her to him for a hug, holding her tight as she tried to pull away from him. "Okay, Beth I'll explain. I'll explain it all, just sit down, please? Would you like a drink?"

"Stop stalling Mick," she said, taking a seat again. "The truth, now. All of it!"

Mick looked up at her as she sat there waiting. Sadness over-whelmed his features as he quietly spoke the words that nearly stopped her heart.

"I'm a vampire Beth – I'm a vampire!"


	2. Chapter 2

Twisted Part Deux

"_I'm a vampire Beth," Mick told her. "I'm a vampire."_

"No. No, no, NO!" she said. Her blue eyes were round with fear at she stared at him, furiously shaking her head. "There's no such thing as vampires!"

He had moved to sit next to her on the couch and he heard her heart thumping frantically in her chest. He reached for her hand and held it gently between his own. It felt feverish compared to his own cool fingers. Her breathing was jerky, almost impatient and she finally let out a huge breath.

"Beth, try to slow your breathing, you don't want to hyperventilate do you?" he asked softly. He didn't want to use allure on her but she was starting to frighten him a bit. He focused on sending her calming vibes as he looked into her eyes. His hand softly stroked hers in a soothing touch.

"Slow my breathing? Are you kidding me? After what you just said you expect me to slow my breathing?" She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to do what he suggested. Part of her wanted to run screaming from the room, but another part of her wanted answers, the truth. Mick would never hurt her, she knew it, she had to believe it.

She became a bit calmer and was suddenly very aware of her hand lying in his. It felt cool, definitely chilly in fact as his fingers gently stroked hers. It was almost soothing; no, it _was _soothing, hypnotic really. She started to relax; hopefully she could start thinking straight.

Mick heard her heartbeat slow and saw that her breathing was calming as well. Good, it was a good sign and he started to relax a bit as well.

"Do you, uh, what…can I ask questions?"

Mick smiled at the thought of her actually asking if she could ask questions. Beth, whose over-whelming curiosity never allowed her to hesitate, was asking him if it was okay.

"Sure, you can ask questions; I sort of expect it of you Beth. I'll answer what I can. But you have to understand a few things; no one can know about us Beth. I mean it; we've been hunted for centuries and I have to be able to trust you with this. You cannot tell anyone; do you get that?"

"Ye-es. I won't tell anyone Mick, I promise." She took a deep, shaky breath and bit her bottom lip for a moment, obviously thinking about her question. "Uh, so do you bite people's necks and suck their blood out? Is that what you were doing when I got here?"

"Yes, that's one way of doing it. Also, we can bite the vein in the wrist as well. We can also get blood from the blood bank too."

Her eyebrow rose a bit as she considered what he had just said. Her eyes glanced down at her wrist, where his thumb was still gently strumming along the vein. She gave a small, nervous laugh and said, "The Red Cross does not mention that in their literature!"

"No, I'm sure they don't know about it," he answered, waiting for the next question.

"Do they, um, do they die when you do that. Drink from their neck?"

Mick debated for a moment on how to answer that question. The answer would no doubt surprise her, but he chose his words carefully.

"Beth, people _can_ die from that, but that's not what we were doing. We were just, feeding. And most freshies find it pleasurable."

"What? You're kidding me? Someone would let you do that? Freshie, what is that?"

"That's a term that vamps use for uh, human donors. Because the blood is fresh you know."

Beth sat up a bit straighter and fixed Mick with a piercing look. Her blue eyes were practically flashing as she asked her next question.

"Is this like 'friends with benefits' or a 'paid' arrangement?"

"Well, it can be either, depending on who's involved. Some vamps, like my friend Josef have women who work for him regularly. They live at the mansion; he pays their college tuition, medical costs, that kind of thing. Other vamps may have other arrangements."

Beth's brow furrowed a bit and her eyes narrowed as she took in what he had said. "So what is it with you? Do you have girls that live here?"

"No – no. I uh, don't have the kind of income it takes to support that kind of system. Josef 'shares' occasionally and I pay him for the use… usage I guess you could say."

"So this 'usage' does it involve sex?"

"Why would you ask that?" Mick asked, almost shocked.

"Well, you said the girls find it pleasurable. Don't you?"

Mick tipped his head down a bit to hide the slow smile that spread across his face. "Beth, for me, it's just food – dinner you could say."

"I find that hard to believe," she told him skeptically.

"Why? Don't you have the ability to differentiate between food and sex?"

Beth fixed him with a level gaze and said, "I can, but I'm not so sure about those two girls who were lying across your laps, almost passed out. It didn't look to me like they were differentiating anything!"

"Well, for them they might not; as I said, it can be very pleasurable for the uh, donor. Very intense in fact. For the vamp, well, it's different, really…"

Beth was starting to squirm in her seat a bit Mick noticed. Her heart had picked up a bit too. Was she nervous again he wondered?

"So you don't enjoy it?" Mick had continued to softly stoke her wrist, the inside skin that was so delicate and sensitive. It was starting to make her skin tingle in fact, a curious sensation, given the circumstances. She looked down at his hand as he touched her and gently pulled her hand away, although she was unsure why. It was definitely stirring her and she took a huge gulp of air, trying to clear her head.

"Well, yes, but on a different level. Like, maybe the difference between eating steak and a bologna sandwich, you know? The fresh blood tastes, well, fresh, warm. Bagged blood sustains us, but the taste is flat. There is no thrill to it."

"AHA! I knew you enjoyed it!"

"Yes, but not like you think Beth. It's not a sexual thing for me." _Not most of the time!_

"So, it's that way for all vamps?"

"I couldn't say. I'm pretty sure that Josef sometimes does more than eat, but I don't ask questions about that."

"And you have never? Got more than lunch, shall we say, out of it?" She was watching him closely, trying to gauge whether or not he was being honest.

He smiled at her and picked her hand up again and held it lightly while looking into her eyes before he declared, "There is a difference between feeding and sex Beth." He hoped she didn't probe into that answer any further.

"I – I just don't see how it could feel good. I mean, you are biting them!"

"It's the way we bite and do it. We're gentle and there's something about the um, motion of the mouth on your skin, almost a …caress," he told her, watching her eyes get bigger.

She swallowed hard and looked down at his hand that was softly stroking the delicate skin on the inside of her wrist again. The whisper soft touch spread goose bumps along her arm and she almost shivered. She wanted to know, felt compelled to know, but she was also scared; and she never wanted to be 'dinner'.

He watched her pupils dilate a bit and noticed her nipples were blossoming beneath her blouse. It caused an immediate tightening in his jeans. It was time for her to leave before they headed down a path that they weren't meant to be on. She had a very real boyfriend and he definitely did not want her to be 'food'.

"Mick…" His name was spoken quietly, almost a whisper, a plea.

"No Beth. We can't, I won't, not with you, not like this."

"Not like this? What do you mean?"

"You are not food for me Beth and you have a boyfriend."

Beth licked her lips, and Mick caught the small gesture; a moist, pink tongue delicately rimming her beautiful lips. Beautiful, plump lips that Mick ached to kiss. He realized he was still holding her hand, stroking her wrist and he tried to pull his hand away but he couldn't force himself to let go. She suddenly felt hot and it was a fire that was catching. His eyes started to silver and a low, soft growl escaped his lips.

Beth was mesmerized by that growl; it didn't scare her at all, it thrilled her. She felt an immediate rush of wetness between her legs, soaking her panties. She saw Mick lift his head a bit, as if he could smell her arousal. Her eyes took him in, all of him from his silvered eyes to the bulge that was starkly evident in his jeans. She ached for him; it was past desire now, it was an all-consuming need. She didn't understand it, but she knew she would explore it.

She reached out a hand and lightly traced it across his cheek, feeling the slight stubble that made her fingertips tingle as they rubbed against it. Her heart was racing now and she felt as if she was falling, falling into a warm other- place in a swirling vortex of desire.

Mick knew the moment was now; if he was going to stop this it had to be now. He knew he shouldn't do this, he didn't want to be the 'other man' in Beth's life, he wanted to be 'the man'. His head told him to pull away, hell, to run away. His heart spoke of another path, of staying the course with her, riding out the passion. He tried, but he couldn't resist; the vamp would not let him resist. He pulled her to him, his mouth capturing hers in a scorching kiss. The vamp took control and Mick relinquished the reins.

She caught her breath as she felt his mouth take hers. Her arms wrapped around his neck to pull him tighter to her and she opened herself to him, inviting and welcoming him with all that she had. The cool touch of his lips and tongue drove her crazy; she couldn't get enough of him.

Mick felt himself drowning in the kiss, a delicious drowning that he never wanted to end. With each stroke of his tongue against hers he fell a little bit farther into the sensual abyss that awaited them. His mouth hungrily ravaged hers, drinking her in like the sweetest of wines.

Beth returned the kisses passionately; her small, blunt teeth captured his bottom lip and tugged on it which elicited another low growl from Mick. She licked his lips, sucked them into her mouth and pulled on them with her teeth, nipping lightly and she was rewarded with another growl. She bit a little harder and thrilled when she got a taste of his blood and she lapped it up greedily. His mouth deepened the pressure on hers and she felt the twin points of his fangs against her own mouth; she rubbed her tongue against one sharp fang and the warm taste of her own blood thrilled her senses. She felt invincible, on fire and she wanted to consume him, to be consumed by him.

Beth hungrily slid her mouth down his chin, stroking her tongue or the slight stubble. It was just rough enough to make her tongue tingle with the contact; she couldn't get enough!

Mick lay back on the couch and pulled her on top of him. His hand cupped her ass and pulled her tightly against him so she could feel his need. Beth ground her hips against him and was rewarded with another sensual growl. Meanwhile Micks mouth had found her throat and he was nibbling enticingly along the vein that was beating out a frantic rhythm. He pressed his tongue against it and felt the warm blood pounding through the vein as he licked it delicately. He was rewarded by a low moan and a shiver of anticipation from Beth.

"Oh Mick, please don't stop…don't stop!" The words were a breathless whisper, escaping from her kiss swollen lips.

"Never Beth, never."

Beth sat up and started to unbutton her shirt. Mick's hand gently replaced hers and he took his time, unfastening one button at a time and reveling as inch by inch her creamy skin was revealed to him. Soft wet kisses covered her chest and he tongued a hardened nipple through the thin lace of her bra before biting it softly. His hands reached around and unfastened the clasp and the bit of lace was free. He slid the straps down her arms, finally slipping it free from her body.

For a moment he stared at her breasts; ripe and luscious, his mouth ached to taste them. He pulled her down again and rolled over so that he was on top of her and then captured one perfect breast with his mouth. The skin was soft as silk and he nuzzled the underside and ran his tongue around the sensitive skin where her breast joined her body. He listened to her sharp intake of breath with satisfaction and redoubled his efforts by lavishing attention on the other breast.

Beth was panting with need and she almost came off the couch as she felt feather-like fingers caress the skin along her ribs. His hands meandered down her body and stopped to tickle her belly button. His mouth traced the path his fingers had made as she squirmed, her hips pushing up against him, grinding against him in need. Mick chuckled as he slipped the button free on her jeans and she shivered as she heard the zipper slid down.

Mick pulled her jeans down, sliding them off of her legs, leaving only a tiny wisp of lace covering her womanhood. He could see blond curls peeking out around the lace and his mouth watered as he scented her arousal and he spied the tell-tale wet stain on the fabric. He slipped his fingers under the elastic and pulled the garment off in one fluid motion. She lay exposed under him, open and ready for his caresses.

Mick stood up and quickly divested himself of his clothes. Beth watched with eager eyes as he stepped out of his boxers and his proud manhood was revealed to her. She reached a hand out to capture his length and wrapped her warm fingers around him, stroking him up and down. She was rewarded when a small drop of his desire seeped out of the tip and she gently spread it around with a fingertip, which she then placed in her mouth.

Mick watched as she sucked on her finger and then swirled her tongue over it, licking it clean. A surge is passion spread through his body like wildfire, setting him on edge. He was trying to hold back, to not rush this for Beth; he wanted this to be a night she would forever remember but his patience was being sorely tried. He closed his eyes for a moment or two to try to regain his control.

Beth sat up and surprised him by taking him into her mouth, taking him deep within its wet warmth. He twitched and jerked as he felt her tongue swirl in lazy arcs over him and laid his hands on her shoulders, caressing her in time to her movement. His hands caught in the fluid silk of her hair and he combed through the tresses with gentle fingers.

"Beth, I – I, you have to stop now baby, you have to stop!" he pleaded, knowing that he was too close to losing control.

Beth looked up at him, the cornflower blue eyes sparkling with mischief as she took him deeper still into her mouth and sucked harder on him. She stroked him a few more times and then released him, right when he was on the verge of coming.

He lightly shoved her back down on the couch and growled, "My turn!" and before she could catch her breath his mouth had found the inviting valley between her legs. He spread her gently and swirled his tongue around the aroused button of desire. Beth whimpered and lifted herself up to meet the thrusts of his tongue as he explored deeper into the wet folds.

Beth clutched a pillow in her hand and squeezed hard, rhythmically kneading it with each stroke of his tongue. She was on the edge of her orgasm and couldn't lie still; her body squirmed frantically and Mick tried to hold her still by placing his hands on her hips. Her release came in a torrent, keening through her body. She moaned through the orgasm and wrapped her legs around Mick's head, unaware of anything except the blissful tremors that spread through her body.

Mick unwound her legs from his head and lifted on foot up to his mouth, kissing the arch which elicited a breathy sigh. He teased her ankle with soft nibbles and moved upwards, stopping every few inches to taste the silken flesh. Finally he was nose to nose with her and he heard her heartbeat rapidly pumping in her chest. His mouth claimed hers again, his tongue seeking hers in a passionate duel. Just when she thought she couldn't stand it another minute he sank into her wet depths and she moaned with the exhilaration of feeling him inside her.

Mick closed his eyes as he gave her a moment to adjust to him. His lips slid down her cheek to lightly tease along her jaw line and lower still, being drawn inextricably back to the vein that mesmerized him.

Beth wrapped her legs around his hips and started moving against him, trying to increase their contact. Mick smiled at her and happily obliged, plummeting her depths over and over until she was panting and aching for release again. Mick kept the pace fast and deep enough to keep her hanging on the edge, but wouldn't let her go over yet. He worked her body like the most precious of gifts, burying himself deep in her and then withdrawing so that only the very tip of him was still inside her body.

Beth was going mad with the ache, the need to come. Her mouth found his again and hungrily captured it, sucking playfully on his tongue. He played the game, his tongue darting in and out of her mouth matching the rhythm of his body as he plundered hers.

He could tell she was on the verge of orgasm again and this time he would let that happen. His mouth found the vein again and as he felt her body grip him with the beginning of her orgasm he bit her. He buried himself deeply in her as his own release came.

Beth's eyes flew open in surprise but much to her shock it didn't hurt; in fact it intensified her orgasm and she cried out loud, a sound that slowly turned into a scream. It went on and on, the delicate pull of his mouth against her neck increasing the pleasure until both of them were spent. She felt his mouth softly licking at the bite marks, tenderly sealing the wounds.

Mick rolled over and pulled her with him so that she was lying on top of him. Her breath was gradually slowing down and the damp sweat was making her chilly. Mick reached behind him and pulled an afghan over them, to help warm her.

Beth's cheek was pressed against his chest. It seemed so strange to not hear a heartbeat. She let a fingertip play in the dark hair on his chest and kissed the places her finger had played. He was quiet as he watched her touching him, afraid to say anything for fear it would break the spell they had woven between them.

She lifted her head and looked directly into his eyes and what he saw in them made him blink in surprise. No regret or anger, only happiness. She smiled at him and he smiled back and hugged her tighter to him. He felt her yawn and snuggle into his chest. Before long he heard the soft sighs that told him she was asleep.

He knew there would be repercussions from this night; he knew that he had not done himself any favors by taking this step with her. She had a boyfriend, he kept repeating it over and over, like a mantra.

She had a boyfriend.

_To be continued…_


	3. Chapter 3

Twisted, Part Three

Even though it wasn't the freezer Mick managed to rest on the couch with Beth snuggled against him; amazingly well in fact. He started waking with the dawn and watched as the light gradually flickered in the room through the lattice panels and window blinds.

Around 7 a.m. he felt Beth beginning to stir. He wished he could find a way to get up without disturbing her so that he could make some coffee for her. And, he had to admit that waking up with her face to face was rather scary for him. How would she feel when she remembered what had happened last night?

He didn't have to wait too long; he felt her stretch her body against his and then she leaned up to kiss him good morning.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi yourself. Did you sleep well?"

She grinned and laughed, "Yes I did. You wore me out!"

It wasn't what he had expected to hear; recriminations, anger even but not that. She was happy and the thought tugged at his heart and gave him hope that he hadn't screwed everything up.

Beth sat up on the edge of the couch and said, "Bathroom?"

"Um, upstairs on the left."

She smiled again and headed upstairs, the afghan wrapped around her. God, he thought, she was probably freezing in here. He got up and turned the glass fireplace on, hoping that it might help a bit. He then slid into his jeans, a la commando and headed to the kitchen to make her some coffee. By the time it was brewing she still hadn't come back down stairs so he headed up there to see if she needed anything.

"Is everything alright?" he asked. She was staring at her neck in the mirror, a smile on her face. Mick stood behind her, afraid to reach out and touch her, although he ached to. His eyes met hers in the mirror and she smiled at him, her blue eyes sparking with something that Mick didn't recognize at first.

"Yes. I – I thought it would be um, bigger I guess. It's hardly noticeable really. Is it okay if I take a shower?"

"Sure, let me get you a towel, okay?"

"Will you take a shower with me?" she asked, letting the afghan drop in a pool on the floor. She reached her hands behind him and took his arms and pulled them about her and then she leaned her head back against his chest.

He was amazed; she stood there in front of him fearless, asking him to shower with her. "Sure, if you don't turn the water on too hot."

Understanding glimmered in her eyes and she said, "However you like it. Go ahead and turn it on." Her nipples were hard and he caught the double meaning in her comment. He swallowed hard and headed over to the shower. Had he been human he knew he would be blushing.

He got the shower set and then said, "I'll be right back Beth. I'll only be gone a minute or two."

"Oh, okay," she told him.

Mick jumped from the top step to the bottom and opened the hidden fridge. He pulled out a bottle of fresh blood and drank straight from it, half the bottle in a few gulps. He knew that he needed it to keep from losing control with her. He stopped to quickly rinse the residue out of his mouth before vaulting the stairs again and heading into the bathroom.

She was surprised to see him again so soon; it really only had been a minute or so. She opened the shower door and stepped inside, watching him as he unbuttoned his jeans and kicked them aside. Her eyes lit with pleasure as she saw that he was aroused, standing fully erect. He seemed to move in slow motion towards her, his eyes eating her up. She was beautiful, not shying away from his gaze but meeting it unflinchingly, her blue eyes flickering with desire. She licked her lip slowly and the sight of her pink tongue peeking out of her mouth made him groan.

He stared at her hungrily for a moment, his eyes devouring her. They swept from the top of her head to the tips of her pink polished toes; she was beautiful and he couldn't wait to have her again.

Mick stepped into the shower and pulled her close to him, savoring the feel of her delicious curves pressed against him. He remembered to pull the shower door closed behind him at the last minute and then they were enveloped in the tepid mist of the shower, small rivulets of water streaking down their bodies.

Beth wasted no time in sliding her hand down between their bodies and grasping his hardened length firmly, tugging on him as she murmured into his ear, "Now Mick, I need you inside me!"

His mouth captured hers and feasted upon it ravenously , much like a starving man. He drank deeply of her sweet mouth and stroked the honeyed depths with his tongue. Beth wrapped her arms around his waist and he reached down to cup her bottom and lifted her up and onto his erection. She slipped him inside her and wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, sighing with the pleasure. It was like coming home.

Beth shifted her arms around his neck and pulled her mouth away from his before gliding if down along his jaw to his neck. She kissed and nipped at it enticingly as he pumped faster and faster into her welcoming body. Each lost themselves in the moment, aware only of the need for one another and fulfillment. Mick feasted on her neck in preparation for the bite that would bring them both to passions valley. He pulled lightly on the skin and tongued it, driving Beth wild with need.

As he worked on her neck, on _that_ spot the bite actually tingled in anticipation of what was to come. She moaned and whispered, "Now Mick, bite me NOW!"

She was on the edge as was he and he felt his fangs lengthen and ache with desire to bite her, to bring them both to orgasm. Finally the moment was there; he drove himself frantically into her trembling body and his mouth kissed the marks from last night before his fangs lightly pierced her skin, sending them both over the edge. Beth screamed with her release and he felt her body spasm and clench his tightly, milking him of every bit of his release. Mick savored the tang of the Beth's warm blood as it flowed into his mouth; it was the sweetest if gifts, every drop precious to him.

He pulled his fangs free and gently kissed his mark, lovingly tonguing the tiny puncture marks until they ceased to bleed. She was still shaking in his arms so he continued to hold her close as they both caught their breaths.

Beth finally unhooked her legs and let them slide down his body to stand in the shower. She leaned her head against his chest and rested her cheek against the damp skin. The warm water bathed them both, providing a pleasant cascade of sensation.

They stepped out of the spray and Mick grabbed the bottle of shampoo and poured some into his hand and then worked it into her hair. His fingers tingled against her scalp as he massaged the shampoo in until it was a foamy lather. He kissed her eyes to close them and then moved her back under the spray to rinse the shampoo from her head. He then combed conditioner through with his fingers before washing her body, treating it like the finest treasure. After he had thoroughly rinsed her he allowed her to perform the same ministrations on him and delighted in the light play of her fingers over his skin.

Mick had never shared such an intimate experience with anyone. He found it exhilarating to wash her hair and body and submit as she did the same for him. He watched her as they washed one another and was awed by the comfort in it. It felt good, perfect in fact. But would there be more than just this brief time with her he wondered.

_She has a boyfriend…_

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Beth finished drying her hair with Mick's blow dryer and made her way downstairs, sniffing the air appreciatively.

"Um, coffee! Thanks," she said, accepting the cup from Mick. He was busy wiping the countertop down and mumbled a "you're welcome" to her as he rinsed out the cloth. Beth looked around the spotless kitchen and decided you could probably eat off of every surface in there, including the floor without any worries. Mick apparently was a neat freak; either that or he had a _very_ competent maid.

She wasn't sure she liked that idea at all!

He finally looked at her as she sipped the coffee and what she saw in his eyes melted her heart; he was anxious she realized. She reached out and touched his hand, "Mick?" she asked, trying to figure out how best to alleviate his concerns.

"I – uh, is the coffee okay? I keep it around for clients, but since I can't taste it I don't know if it's any good."

The words all came out in a nervous rush and she smiled again and said, "Its fine – good. So, you can't taste it hmm? What can you taste?"

"Uh, blood. I can taste blood." He paused for a moment before adding softly, "You Beth. I can taste you".

The words made her breath catch in her throat and she blushed; the memories of last night flooding her head and she shivered slightly as she vividly pictured what he was doing when he tasted her. She sat her coffee cup down on the pristine counter and was in his arms practically before he could blink. Two pairs of lips met in aching abandon, clinging and teasing as their tongues lovingly stroked everything in their paths. Beth finally pulled away, breathless and tried to compose herself.

"Wow. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I have to go. I have to um, take care of a few things," she told him, taking a step back, hopefully out of the pull of desire she felt for him.

Mick nodded and said, "I had two messages from Carl Davis on my phone; probably about what happened last night. They uh, shooting thing I mean." He stared at her, his eyes unblinking as he watched her digest his words.

Inwardly, Beth groaned. She knew she was going to have to deal with all this and Josh too. Yes, Josh was going to be an important part of what would be happening. Beth nodded at Mick and said, "Um yes, I'm sure I'll have messages too. So, I guess I'll see you later?" she asked hopefully. She waited, almost holding her breath, until he answered.

He smiled at her then and his face lit up as he looked at her. _She wanted to see him later! _ He felt like jumping up and down, but instead all he did was nod and say, "Yeah. So uh, until then I guess?"

"Okay. Thanks for the coffee. So you don't eat food at all?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Really don't!" he said with a laugh. "Bye." He walked her to the door and opened it, waiting for her to step through. The desire to pull her to him one last time was too strong, but before he had a chance to do it she was already there, in his arms.

"Bye," she said, kissing him again. This time it was a sweet kiss, but a kiss that promised that later on, there would be more.

It was enough for Mick. He watched her go with a lighter heart, accepting that his lonely world was somehow changing because of a curious little blonde. And he was very thankful for that.

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When she got home Beth checked her messages; she had 5 of them, three from Carl and two from Josh. Seriously, she was surprised there weren't more from Josh and she was even more amazed that he apparently hadn't come over last night to see her. She knew that he was working really hard on a case; they were doing surveillance on an El Salvadorian by the name of Tejada, in preparation for filing charges against him. Josh had been working on the case for almost two years and it was a top priority for the DA's office.

As she changed clothes she thought about Josh and what she was going to do about him, or rather their relationship. She frowned as she pulled on a pair of pants and zipped them up. It was complicated with him; she was going to hurt him and she didn't relish that thought at all.

Was she ready to throw away everything she had with Josh for a "maybe" relationship with Mick? Was Mick even interested in that? In the end, it didn't matter to her because regardless of what happened with Mick, she knew that her relationship with Josh was done.

Beth was never one to shy away from the facts of a situation and the fact was that she and Josh were at the end of the road and had been even before Mick came along. Although, as soon as she met Mick she had been drawn to him; the attraction had been undeniable. She just clicked with him; she felt a comfort and safety with him that she couldn't explain, but she knew she wanted to explore it.

Josh was a good man; an exceptional man really. Steady, dependable, all those qualities that a woman could dream of, and perhaps she was an idiot to walk away, but her heart and her conscience wouldn't allow her to stay and hurt him any further. And the sooner the better, for everyone's sake she knew.

She called Carl first and made arrangements to go in and give him a statement regarding Lee Jay's shooting. It all seemed a million miles away now, a lifetime ago really and it was amazing but she felt a huge degree of distance from it all. She had shot and killed a man and she wasn't freaking out about it; quite the contrary in fact. One truth came to her about it though, she had done it to save Mick and she would have killed a dozen people to do that and not batted an eye.

Next she called Josh, prepared to ask him if she could see him later so that she could end their relationship, but he was swamped at work so that would have to wait until tomorrow. He asked her how she was doing but didn't seem to be aware that she didn't spend the night at her apartment, for which she was grateful. They agreed on dinner the following night and she hung up the phone a bit happier because she had a plan for what was going to happen.

She wondered what Mick was doing right now? She fought the impulse to call him, just to say hi, or something equally ridiculous when all she really wanted was just to hear his voice. Was he thinking about her at all she wondered? Memories of their steamy night together flowed through her head and she actually felt herself blush as she remembered how forward she had been, insistent even. Then she remembered the bite and her hand flew up to her neck where her fingers gently traced to the small spots that were already healing and she couldn't believe it when she realized that they were actually tingling as she thought about him and the bite.

_Yes, the bite. He's a vampire Beth, he's really a vampire!_

That put a whole new spin on things. Can vampires even have relationships with humans? He could certainly have sex ,she thought with a chuckle. Yes, he did that very well! But was he interested in a relationship with me? How would that even work? Could it work? She had so many questions she wanted to ask. Again, her hand reached for her phone and she almost dropped it when it started to ring. She stared at it for a moment before it registered that it wasn't Mick calling but Mo. With a sigh she answered the call.

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Mick caught a couple of hours of freezer time before he had to meet Carl down at the police station. He did manage to sleep a bit but thoughts of Beth kept invading his rest. First, there were the downright dirty thoughts that made things physically uncomfortable and then there was the _other_ stuff…like, was she thinking about him at all today?

Last night and this morning were incredible and he definitely wanted more of the same. But, could she handle me being a vampire, he wondered. Really handle it and everything that went with it. AND – the biggest thing of all, how would she take the truth about how he had been involved in her life all these years. He couldn't pursue a relationship with her if she didn't know the truth, but the truth may keep it from happening.

How do you tell someone that you've known them since they were 4? That you rescued them from your crazy wife whom you had to kill just to be able to save her and that he had 'watched' over her all these years? Yeah, that's a nice way to put it St. John, watched, not stalked. If anything were to come of this thing with her he had to tell her first.

After he got done with the meeting with Carl, which had actually gone pretty easy because Julia had filled Carl in on things, he started getting text messages from Guillermo, urging him to come to the morgue. Mick headed there with a sigh; he really wanted to call Beth, but thought it was better to let her take the next step, when she felt comfortable.

At the morgue he got two shocks; the first being that there was evidently a rogue vampire on the loose and the second that Beth was on the case for Buzzwire.

It looked like destiny was stepping in. He was perfectly okay with that!

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

Twisted 4

_Mick's V/O_

_Destiny…those mysterious twists and turns that lead us down paths we might have avoided otherwise. Sometimes, they took you places you really didn't want to go, but every now and then, they hit the ball out of the park._

Guillermo and Mick spotted Beth looking in the door of the morgue, trying to see what was going on. This was both pleasing to Mick and alarming all at the same time. Yes, he wanted to see her but only if she wanted to see him. He took a deep, unnecessary breath and headed out to talk to her.

"Hi."

"Hey."

They looked at one another and smiled and then laughed since they had spoken at the same time. Beth's heart pounded as she stood right in front of him; was he happy to see her or not?

She decided from the crooked grin he gave her that he was as happy to see her as she was to see him. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and kiss him; she looked up and down the hall to make sure they were alone before doing just that.

Guillermo spied them kissing from the room and grinned to himself. She sure was a hottie; lucky Mick he thought. And she wasn't shy either apparently, but then again, he didn't notice Mick holding back much either.

Beth sighed as the kiss ended, excited to feel the same magic she had felt last night and this morning. She stared into his eyes for a moment and he met her look unflinchingly which made her relax.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Working on a case? . You?"

"Word is there is a badly chewed up body; had all its blood drained out?. Is it…?"

"Yes, it's a vampire. Beth, this is too dangerous for you to be working on."

"Hey, I've been working these cases since before I knew about vampires; I'm not backing off Mick."

Mick groaned; he knew that she wasn't going to leave it alone. "Well, it looks like we'll be working the case together then." He watched her reaction and added, "Okay?"

Her face lit up with excitement that brought a sparkle to her eyes. "Absolutely! It'll be fun being on the hunt with you. So, what now?" she asked as they headed down the hall.

"I need to go and see a friend of mine; Josef. He generally knows who to talk to about these things."

"Josef, hm? Well, let's go!" she said, heading for his car.

A moment of panic rose in Mick's throat. He didn't really want to take her with him to see Josef; not after his reaction to her last night. He should have kept his mouth shut and talked to Josef later, when he was on his own. He knew that Beth wouldn't stay in the car so he finally decided to just go with it and hope he didn't have to force Josef to back off – he might see her as fair game now that Mick had bit her.

He unlocked the door for Beth and held it open and watched as she slid in. He shut the door and missed her grin at his courtliness, which was actually kind of nice she decided.

He headed the car downtown to Josef's offices and occasionally cast glances at Beth as they drove. She was thinking about something pretty hard he noticed; her forehead was furrowed in thought. He knew he wouldn't have to wait long to find out and he grinned at the thought.

"So how old are you? You look about 30, but…"

Here it came; the questions. He laughed and said, "It's not polite to ask people their ages!"

"That's just women!" she quipped.

"I'll be 85 in November. Next?"

"Next what?" she teased innocently.

"Question?"

They played 20 vampire questions on the way to Josef's. ; sShe learned he can't fly or turn into a bat, that stakes don't kill vampires, silver is poison to them and that fire would definitely kill them, but the sun wouldn't do it, immediately any way.

"So where do you keep your coffin? Do you have like a special room for it?"

He laughed out right at that and it startled her at the depth of his amusement over that question. She had been serious and she thought he was being rude. "You don't have to laugh at me like that!" she sputtered.

"I'm not laughing at you; it's the old 'coffin' thing. Vampires don't sleep in coffin's Beth. We sleep in freezers!"

She wasn't sure she heard him right. She grimaced as she said, "Fr – freezers? Really?"

"Yep. No coffins, I promise."

"That seems, um, wrong I guess. I mean, don't you freeze solid?" she asked, truly puzzled.

"They have temperature controls you know. I keep mine at about 35 degrees; some vamps like it colder and some like it warmer. It's just a matter of choice. It uh, helps to keep us from decomposing."

That was a disturbing thought. Obviously they weren't really 'alive' in the way she was, but they weren't really dead either she knew. She had more questions when they pulled into a parking lot.

Mick again opened her door and waited for her to get out of the car. As they walked into the building she read the information board. "Kostan Industries? Josef Kostan is your friend Josef?" she asked, stunned by the news. He was just about LA's richest hedge fund trader.

As they walked Mick debated whether to warn her that Josef was the one at his loft the night before. He decided not to; she would find out soon enough and who knows? She might not have gotten a good enough look at him to recognize him today.

She was silent on the ride up to the office. When the doors opened Vincent, one of Josef's associates greeted them. "Mick, how are you this evening?" he asked politely, glancing at Beth with interest as he scented her.

Mick stepped in front of her, blocking Vincent's view. "Hey Vincent. Is he available?"

"Certainly, for you MickFor you Mick? Certainly. Go on in." Vincent watched them as they made their way down the hallway. When Beth looked back at him he was still watching her, a small smile on his face.

Inside the office, Josef was standing at a putting green, a putter in hand. He grinned as Mick walked in and then spied Beth, following behind. "Mick! And who do we have here?"

Beth stared at him for a moment and then her eyes opened wide as she recognized him from the night before. "YOU! From last night at Mick's!" She walked up to him and stared at him, before walking around him as she checked him out. Mick was on guard as she circled him, ready to jump in if necessary.

Josef stood there and grinned. "She's even cuter than I thought Mick." He inhaled deeply and realized that Mick had bitten her, marked her. He nodded in Mick's direction to let him know that he knew and would behave.

Beth stopped in front of him and gazed up with accusing eyes. "You scared me half to death last night with those girls; I thought they were dead!"

"Yes, well I'm sure Mick has explained about all that. They are perfectly fine today, I assure you. Are you always this direct Ms.…. ?"

"Turner. Beth Turner. And yes, I am. So you're one of them too?"

Josef laughed and said, "She doesn't have any hidden stakes does she? I like you Blondie; you're feisty!"

Mick didn't laugh, but he did grin. "No Josef, no stakes."

"Good. Now, what can I do for you?"

Beth stood toe-to-toe with Josef and glared at him. "My name isn't Blondie!"

Josef laughed and briefly bowed his head towards her. "Alright, Ms. Turner then?"

Beth backed down and said, "Beth will do."

They spent the next half hour discussing the rogue vampire issue and Josef told Mick to talk to the cleaner's, which Mick agreed to do.

An hour later they were armed with more information as the hunt for the rogue continued. Beth was quiet, thinking about Josh and what she wanted to say to Mick about him. He hadn't said anything about a relationship between them, but she still wanted to talk to him about it all.

"Mick?" she asked, softly, her voice almost a whisper.

He looked at her quickly, wondering why she was suddenly so serious. "Yeah?"

I, um, I wanted to talk to you about something. I just don't know how to say it I guess."

Mick's breath rushed out of him in a 'whoosh'; he felt as if he's just been kicked in the gut. _This is it, this is where she tells you it's been great, but it isn't going to happen again._

"Last night was incredible; so was this morning. It just made me think about my relationship with Josh, you know?"

He couldn't say a word, his heart was breaking. He managed to nod while holding on to the steering wheel. _You should have known better than to think anything could come of this._

He was so quiet she wondered if she should continue. He probably didn't want to deal with this, a human relationship, if that is even possible she reminded herself. She was half afraid it would only build a wall between them if she went on, but she had to; she had to take the chance.

"Mick, I don't know what happened, uh, is happening with us, you and me, that is, but I don't want it to stop…"

Mick interrupted and said, "You want to be with me? Beth I…"

Before he could continue she said, "Please Mick, let me just say this while I still can okay? I'm going to tell Josh that it's over between us. Not just because of you and me but because it isn't working between us, uh, Josh and I and hasn't for a long time now. Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy, just not for me. I – I don't know if anything is possible between a vampire and a human, and I don't even know if you are remotely interested in that, but I wanted you to know that I am." She watched him as he digested her words and softly chewed her bottom lip while she waited for him to speak.

"Beth, I'm, I don't…"

_Oh God, here it comes, the 'I don't want that speech';. Shoulda kept my mouth shut…_

"Beth, I'm so happy that you told me this. I couldn't have gone on if you were going to stay with him. I don't want to come between you and Josh, but I can't deny that I want to be with you." Inside Mick was doing cart wheels, he felt about 16 again and it felt so good.

Beth grinned like a fool at his words. _He does care about me!_ She wanted to yell it out the car windows at all the other cars. _Control Beth, control…_

She took a deep breath and said, "Is it possible, between vampires and humans?"

He threw her a look that said, 'What, are you crazy? What do you call last night and this morning?' But he understood her concerns and truthfully, he had them too. Since he had become a vampire he had never had a relationship with a human. "It can be done, but I won't lie to you Beth – relationships between vamps and humans can be complicated, difficult, and dangerous. Does that change anything for you?"

She listened to his words and considered them. She understood what he was saying to her; they were in two different worlds and things wouldn't be easy, but she didn't care. Right now she could slay dragons to be with him and knew that regardless of how hard it was, she was in for trying it.

"Okay, I get it. We'll never know if we don't try, will we?" She gave him a mischievous grin and added, "Besides, you know you want me!"

"That I do baby, that I do." He quieted for moment and realized it was time for his true confessions. This could break the deal, but he had to tell her. "Beth, I have to tell you something and it could change everything between us. But just hear me out; listen to everything I tell you before you decide on anything, okay?"

His somber tone almost scared her. What could he tell her that would change anything?

"Okay, I'll listen." What she heard stunned her. Never in a million years would she have guessed what he told her. Or would she? Hadn't she been seeing his face in her dreams since Daniel tried to kill her? Part of her knew she realized; it just hadn't let the other part know it yet.

She was quiet as she let it all sink in; she was quiet for so long in fact that Mick was scared to death. He pulled the car over into a parking lot so that he could focus on her.

"Beth?" he probed quietly, watching her face. He saw tears streaking her cheeks and he pulled her to him, setting her on his lap and holding her close. He knew it was all a huge shock to her.

She sobbed into his shoulder and he rocked her in his arms, rubbing her back as she clung to him. "It's alright Beth, it's going to be okay, I promise."

"Oh M-Mick. Part of me knew, I did. It's why I always feel safe with y-y-you. Even last night, I knew I was safe even though I was scared. It explains so much, it does."

"Yeah, I know Beth, I know. I didn't want to freak you out when we first met again, you know, so I didn't tell you."

He felt her head nodding against his shoulder. "All those years you watched over me, kept me safe. Do you know I always felt your presence? I always felt safe Mick, because of you. I always thought of you as my Guardian Angel."

Mick smoothed her hair off of her face and kissed her cheek. He could taste the salt of her tears and he kissed as many of them away as he could. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head against his chest, enjoying the feel of his arms around her. She knew that this was where she was supposed to be.

Just then her cell phone beeped. She pulled it out of her pocket and told Mick it was some information they had requested. It brought both of them back to the case they were working on.

Before he started the car Mick looked at her again; her cheeks and nose were red from the tears and her eyes a bit watery still but he thought she had never looked better. "Well, let's get going to Dr. Pollack's house then."

She nodded and Mick pulled back onto the road. The smiles they both wore told the story of their happiness.

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The next few days went by in a flash for Beth; working with Mick had been exciting and like nothing she had ever encountered. Her only regret was that she hadn't had a chance to speak with Josh. He had cancelled dinner, twice and she was determined not to tell him on the phone. She and Mick kept a safe physical distance from each other; neither wanted to be together again until Josh was out of the picture, but it was difficult for them both.

They caught the rogue vampire, who had killed three people, including his wife. It was a shocking discovery for Beth and made her ask Mick about rogues.

"How does this they happen Mick? Are they mentally unstable?"

"Well, I guess they can be; usually though it's a newly turned vamp that hasn't been trained. But not always – sometimes are just older vamps that are bored or think that human laws and rules no longer apply to them."

"Are there vampire rules or laws?"

"Yes, there are and they move a lot swifter than human laws do. When we catch a rogue, they are immediately executed."

"Wow, that uh, must save a lot on prison costs then huh?" She grimaced at her own feeble attempt at humor, but it was a really scary situation they had faced. Mick had incinerated Dr. Pollack as soon as he caught him.

Mick reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'll always protect you Beth, okay? I promise."

She believed that, but what if he wasn't around? How did she protect herself?"

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When Josh called her early that Sunday morning she was excited at first; here would be the chance to set up a meeting so she could tell him she didn't want to see him any longer. Unfortunately, he had something else in mind.

Which is how she found herself, with Josh at Mick's loft that morning. They had chatted about the case a bit and Beth began to understand why he had been so preoccupied with it. Now, the safety of a brave young woman lay in Mick's hands. Beth didn't know what he would say or do about it.

The scene was awkward among the three of them. Mick and Beth often exchanged looks that Josh couldn't decipher; looks he knew he needed to get to the bottom of but right now his main concern was for his case – Beth would have to wait.

Mick agreed to try and find Leni and they all agreed that Beth would be Josh's 'go between' in case there really was a leak. The three of them went to the crime scene, although Beth had to wait outside as Josh and Mick combed it. Mick quickly determined that Leni was alive, hadn't been shot and had escaped through a fire escape and stolen one of the officers trucks.

Mick and Beth set off in search of the truck, with a little help from Steve, Beth's camera man who tapped into the Lo-Jack system. When they found the truck they also found that Leni had been there and had caught a bus to Victorville. Mick decided to go on alone from this point, which Beth didn't like.

Mick was worried because Leni had a gun with her and if he got shot, it wasn't an issue, but if Beth got shot he could lose her and it wasn't worth the risk. When he found Leni in Victorville, that's exactly what happened; he got shot.

Leni was scared to death when she shot the gun; it went into Mick's forearm but Leni didn't know that and he convinced her that it had missed him. She finally agreed to talk to him and ultimately, to go back to LA with him. What they didn't realize was that thanks to the leak in Josh's team the killer knew exactly where they were. Mick caught on pretty quickly that the officer sent to 'escort' them back to LA wasn't an officer at all. He and Leni escaped through a bathroom window and stole the police car. Things got worse when it was blown up and they ended up on foot in the desert.

When they finally stumbled onto the run down motel it was already almost too late for Mick; he was afraid he was going to bite Leni and immediately sent her to get ice and to try to call Beth. Sitting in the bathtub full of water and ice, Mick reflected on how he had gotten here.

He thought of Beth, and the brief time they had together. It hadn't been enough, not nearly enough and seeing her this morning with Josh had shot holes in his heart. She didn't belong with him, she belongs with me. He kept repeating that to himself, along with another; that he had to make it through this.

He was afraid he would feed on Leni; in fact he knew that if he didn't feed soon he wouldn't be able to control himself and he wouldn't stop until he got the blood he needed. It was in his vamp DNA or something, but he knew it would happen. He just couldn't bear the thought of hurting Leni, who already had seen so many problems in her life. No, Beth had to get here and take Leni away. When he couldn't hold back any longer he supposed he'd go after the sleazy motel attendant who had signed them in with a lascivious gleam in his eye as he looked Leni up and down. He would be okay with that he decided – he had to be.

Before he knew it Beth was there and she wasn't buying it that she had to take Leni away. Mick knew he was close to the point of control and when Beth started unbuttoning her shirt to expose her neck he almost came out of the tub in revulsion.

"Don't be ridiculous Mick. You need it."

"NO, not like this!" She didn't get it, she would never be food for him; he'd die before he fed from her like this.

Beth was quickly losing patience with him. First, she had believed that he and Leni had died in the ashes of the police cruiser and her heart had broken. Did she love him? She realized she did and suddenly the thought of life without him was unbearable. It wasn't supposed to be this way; the person who is your mate doesn't get ripped from you like this. She refused to believe he was dead because she knew she could feel it inside if he was.

Now here she was in the disgusting motel room with a reluctant vampire and it was pissing her off. He needed blood – she had blood and he had drunk it before, what was the deal now?

"You're going to drink my blood or I'm going to force feed it to you Mick; make your choice. She started digging around in her purse for something sharp to cut herself with; she figured that if the blood was there he wouldn't be able to stop himself.

"Wh – what are you doing?" he asked when she pulled a pair of nail clippers out of her purse.

"Which vein will you get more from?" she asked, hoping he would call her bluff. She loved him but she really didn't want to have to stab herself with nail clippers.

"No! What the hell Beth? No, I can't do it like this."

"Why? Just explain to me why Mick."

"I – I, you're not food for me Beth. I just can't."

It slowly started to make sense to her. He cared for her and as he had said, he differentiates between food and, dare she hope love? "Mick, I get it, I do. But these are extraordinary circumstances and I need you to help me protect Leni. And me too Mick, I need you to keep me safe!"

Her emotional plea sunk in and for a half a moment he felt guilty. He reached for her arm and felt shame wash over him. He held her arm and immediately spied the exaggerated highway of blue veins that stood out starkly against her skin. They sang to him, called him and wooed him with their warmth and scent. He felt heady just holding her arm and he shook with the need to taste her.

"At some point, you're going to have to stop me," he said before his fangs sunk into her arm.

It wasn't the gentle bite she had previously experienced but it was Mick and she soon relaxed into him. She was saving his life and that was all that was important. She ran her hand though his wet curls as he fed, trying to let him know it was alright. She wondered when she should stop him; when she felt light-headed?

But in the end he stopped on his own and lay back in the tub. He had a bit more color to his face and his eyes were no longer yellowed as they had been. He stared at her as he licked his lips and then swiped at them with his hand. Had he been capable of it he would have blushed with embarrassment.

She could only smile at him, a weak smile but she wanted him to know she was okay. She shakily got to her feet and grabbed a hand towel and wrapped it around her arms and applied some pressure as she sat down on the edge of the tub.

"Feeling better?"

"Yeah." He wouldn't meet her eyes.

"Okay. Well, we need to get you back to LA and to you friend Josef's for some more blood, don't we?"

He looked at her, surprised that she had suggested that. It was exactly what he needed, what he intended but he was surprised she had suggested it first.

"I'm going out to check on Leni. Come out when you're feeling better, okay? I think we need to get out of here as quickly as possible."

He nodded and sat up as she left the bathroom; she was amazing. How on earth did he ever get lucky enough to find her?

Would he be lucky enough to keep her?

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Later that night at Beth's apartment Josh was bustling around, worried about her. She knew that this was her opportunity to talk to him. She only wanted to get to Mick and she couldn't do it if Josh was here.

When they got back to LA he literally disappeared; Beth knew where he was though and for the first time it occurred to her that some other woman was going to let him drink her blood. She got it that he was a vamp and that was going to happen but she wasn't crazy about it. But he needed the blood and she knew she couldn't give him anymore yet so she supposed it had to be. She inwardly sighed with that disconcerting thought.

When Josh teased her about the puncture marks on her arm she pulled her arm away from him immediately. She felt repulsed by his touch; she couldn't have him touching the same place Mick had.

"Josh, we need to talk."

"Beth, you've had a really trying day. Why don't we talk tomorrow?"

For half a moment she considered it, but come tomorrow she would feel guilty for not telling him and then there was the problem of getting his attention long enough to do it. No, it had to be tonight.

"No Josh, now. I, um, I can't go on in this relationship Josh. I think it's over between us." She watched his face as she told him and it was almost like it didn't sink in to him what she was saying.

"Sweetheart, you are really tired. You don't mean that do you?"

"Yes Josh, I do. Look, you're a great guy, really, but you are so busy with your career and I'm the same way with mine. It's just not right between us."

He frowned as he finally heard her words. She really did want to break up. It stunned mehim. She would make the perfect wife for a DA, politically savvy and beautiful as well. He was going to ask her to marry him and now she was saying she didn't want to be with him anymore? He felt bile rise up in his throat as anger overtook him.

"I take it Mick St. John has something to do with this? You know, since you met him screwed up has started to seem normal! Look Beth, he's just a fly in the ointment and this crush or whatever you feel for him will pass. And I'll bet my next paycheck that he doesn't feel the same as you; the dude has 'player' written all over him.

Beth fought the urge to slap him; how dare he insult Mick that way when he didn't know him. "He saved your ass today, Josh! Saved your case and that's how you speak about him? Well, for one thing this really had nothing to do with him; I felt this way before Mick even came along but since I've gotten to know him I've realized that there is more to life than two people who have little in common and even less time with each other to discover if we can even find common ground. You're a great ADA Josh and I know that someday you'll be a great DA, but I'm not the one who is supposed to be with you when you get there. I want an equal partner; not to be some decoration on your arm that can look good for the camera during your acceptance speech. It's over. Now, I'd like it if you left now!" She turned away from him and tried to catch her breath.

There were no tears, a fact that Josh noticed as he looked at her. He sighed and stood up before saying, "Beth, when you've had time to think about this I'll be around, okay?"

She turned around and glared at him. "Just leave Josh, please."

He did.

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After Josh left Beth gathered a few things in an overnight bag and headed over to Mick's. She didn't know how he would feel about her invading him right now, but she needed to be with him, to see him and feel his arms around her. She debated over calling a cab to get there because she was still a bit fuzzy headed but she didn't want the delay.

When she got to Mick's he didn't answer the door. She wondered if he was home and sleeping already or if he wasn't back from Josef's yet. She didn't know how long it would take for him to get enough blood into him, but it had been at least two hours; surely that was enough time? She was debating whether or not to call him when she heard the elevator door open.

Mick scented her as soon as the doors scooted apart on the elevator and when he looked up there she was. Pale, but beautiful and he walked straight into her arms. He needed her as much as she needed him. He smiled when he saw the overnight bag.

"Planning on staying?" he teased.

"If you'll have me," she answered, unsure of his answer would be.

"Sure, come on in. Have you eaten Beth? You still look kind of pale."

"Yes, I ate. I uh, I told Josh. I don't want to be alone."

"Did he threaten you Beth?" Mick immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion.

She smiled and said, "No, he took it amazingly well actually. I really don't know if he loved me or if I was just a good 'prospect' wife for him. He's ambitious, and that's great for him, but I don't want to be a part of that political machine."

Mick nodded as he picked up her bag and unlocked the door to his apartment. "I don't have a bed Beth, I'm sorry."

She grinned and said, "It seems to me we did okay on the couch!"

"Yeah, we did. Want to try it out again?"

"I thought you'd never ask!"

_To be continued…_


	5. Chapter 5

Twisted 5

They both undressed in record time and were on the couch, skin to skin. Beth wrapped herself around Mick's taut body like she had done it a million times. They fit together perfectly.

Mick's mouth descended onto hers and kissed her lovingly, taking his time to enjoy the feel of her warm mouth as it moved lazily against his. As badly as he wanted her though he didn't think it was a good idea; she had been through a lot today and he started to back off a bit, simply holding her close to him. He reveled in the steady beat of her heart against his chest.

"I love you," he said simply.

"I know. I love you too," she replied, kissing him again. She noticed he seemed to be pulling back a bit and it puzzled her. "Hey, what's the deal?"

Mick knew exactly what she was asking. He kissed her lips and then the tip of her nose before speaking. "Beth, you've had a really hard day. I think maybe we should just go to sleep, okay? I'll still be here in the morning, I promise."

Beth couldn't help but fight a yawn; she knew he was right but she didn't want to admit defeat. "There is such a thing as 'quickies' you know St. John!"

"Yes, but you deserve so much more. I don't want to rush anything baby, I want to take my time and kiss and caress every bit of you. So tomorrow, okay?"

Another yawn overtook her and she finally nodded. "Don't you need to sleep in your freezer?" she asked.

"Why, trying to get rid of me?"

She felt him grin against her cheek and she reached between them and tweaked his nipple.

"Hey, that's not fair! Hm, maybe you aren't so tired after all!" he joked. He kissed her and then added, "I can do without the freezer tonight, okay? I just want to hold you in my arms while we sleep."

"Mick St. John, those are the sweetest words you have ever spoken to me." She yawned again and snuggled down against his chest. "Goodnight Mick," she murmured.

"Good night Beth. Sleep well."

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Dawn came and went and still they slept, wrapped around one another in a snug embrace. Mick woke slowly, feeling Beth against him and enjoyed the warmth of her skin against his own. He looked down at her head, snuggled against his chest and smiled as her soft breaths blew gently and teased the hair on his chest. He wanted this moment to last forever.

Her color was better this morning he noticed and he sent up a small prayer of thanks for that. It had been horrible to have to drink her blood in the desert but she had saved him and he felt like the luckiest man alive because of it. They really were a good team and he hoped that she would want that, maybe even more than that. Would she move in here with him he wondered? Marry him someday even?

A wry thought occurred to him and he decided that today he had to go shopping and get a bed, a real bed that they could share. Also, get some groceries in here and whatever else she might need. He admitted that he really had no true idea of what a human female might need though so he would have to get a bit help with that. He also needed to get a key made.

He chastised himself before he got too carried away because the truth was she might not want to move in here with him. Mick admired her independence as well as her strength and determination and those things might not make moving in here something she would want to do. Suddenly he was aware that she was looking up at him wearing a smile.

"You look pretty serious this morning. Is everything okay?" she asked as she leaned up to kiss his lips.

He returned his kiss enthusiastically and soon it deepened, her mouth opening under his as she melted against him. When she finally pulled away to catch her breath she said, "Good morning!" and then placed a kiss on his neck. She instinctively honed in on the vein and rubbed her tongue up and down it, stroking it lightly and driving him crazy. When he felt her teeth nip lightly at he pulled away. He needed to talk to her and if she continued he knew that wasn't going to happen, not right away anyway.

_So what's an hour or so Mick?_

"Um Beth, that feels wonderful but I really want to talk to you." He kissed her forehead and then sat up, pulling her with him and making sure she was wrapped in the afghan.

"What's up Mick? You seem so serious," she told him, watching his face as he tried to think of how to say it all.

Just talk about the bed and a few basics he decided. Don't over-whelm her with too many details.

"I'm going shopping today Beth, uh, for a bed. Do you have any preference?"

Her face lit up and she laughed. "What, the couch getting a little too cozy for you Mick?"

"No, I was thinking about other things that we could do in the comfort of a nice large bed? What do you think?"

"Other things huh? Like what?" she teased, tracing a finger down his chest and circling one of his nipples which immediately grew hard. It wasn't the only thing that was hard she noticed since she was sitting in his lap. She shifted so that she was sitting directly on him and she wiggled herself back and forth over him and was rewarded with a groan. "Like that?"

Mick could feel her wetness spreading over him and smell her arousal and suddenly he didn't care if they talked about the bed. He lifted her hips and then settled her back down on his aching length and she let out a sigh.

Her hips immediately started working, up and down and twisting in small circles so that he rubbed in all the right places. His head dipped down and captured a rosy pink nipple that immediately blossomed under his ministrations. Beth threw her head back in pleasure, exposing her lovely neck to him and he watched the blood in her veins pound rapidly through them. It was a sirens song and one he couldn't risk this morning; he had taken too much yesterday.

Beth rode him fiercely, and they both thrilled to the sounds of their lovemaking. Mick dipped a finger down between them and found her swollen love knot and rubbed it gently. She instantly became even wetter and increased her pace, almost frantic now for the sweet oblivion of release.

Mick felt her body start to clench around him, holding him tightly and he knew she was there and he let go too. He brought his arm to his mouth as he felt her spasms begin and she moaned through her orgasm. He bit himself and joined her and she felt the warm rush of his release as it flooded her body.

Beth leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck and she caught her breath. "Why didn't you bite me Mick?"

"Oh baby, I wanted to but I took too much blood yesterday. You need a couple of days to recover, okay? I'm fine, it was okay for me, I promise."

She nodded in understanding but said, "I get that, but I love it when you do it. It makes it so much better for me."

"I know baby, I do. Soon, I promise."

They were quiet for a few minutes and Mick brought the subject of the bed up again. "So, you have no preference for a bed?"

"Right now I'm really digging the couch Mick. Ask me later," she told him with a giggle.

He laughed and scooped her up into his arms and carried her up to the bathroom so they could shower.

And eventually, they got around to that.

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As they got dressed Mick commented, "You know, you uh, could actually leave something here, for when you stay over, if you want." He tried to be nonchalant about it but he was afraid it only sounded desperate.

"You want me to stay over sometimes? Really?" she asked, totally pleased. "I could do that, but where would we put my things?"

"Well, I was thinking that when I bought the bed and I could buy the furniture to go with it and then there would be a place for your things. I have another room up here and it would make a nice bedroom." He watched her reaction and felt his stomach do flip-flops when she was so obviously pleased. "Oh, and I thought I could get you some groceries too, so you have something to eat. You want to make me a list?"

"Sure, that would be good. I'm hungry now, so I'll stop on the way to Buzzwire for something. What about you?" What she was really asking was if he was going to Josef's to eat.

"I have some blood in the fridge downstairs, I'll have that Beth." He felt she needed a bit of reassurance on the subject.

"Oh. Okay. That sounds good." She nodded and felt suddenly happier at that news. She smiled at him as she looked into the mirror to make sure that she looked okay. "I've got to go, okay? Um, the bed stuff, whatever you like will be fine."

He nodded and followed her down the stairs and to the door. She kissed him before she left and as she walked down the hall his eyes followed every step, taking in the gentle swell of her hips as she walked. When the elevator door opened she turned and blew him a kiss before stepping in, light-hearted and happy.

It was going to be a great day!

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Right before she left Buzzwire her phone rang twice; the first time it was Josh and she ignored that call but the second time it was Mick and she immediately picked up.

"Hey, so you want to come over and see the bedroom?" he asked, excitement in his voice.

"Sure, I wouldn't miss it. Uh, how about if I stop at my place and pick up a few things, you know, to put in those drawers?"

Mick grinned like an idiot; she wanted to see him tonight! And, she was bringing things to put in the drawers too. "Would you like me to meet you there, in case you need help? I mean, carrying things."

"Sure. I'm on my way out now. So, see you in um, 20 minutes or so?"

"Okay. Bye," he said and pushed the end button. He looked around the room that he had done just for her and he hoped she would like it. He cast one last look around the room to ensure that everything was perfect and then headed out the door on the way to Beth's apartment.

When he got there Beth was just pulling up. Together they walked up the stairs, fingers entwined, both of them smiling broadly. At her door Mick scented something disturbing, the heated scene she had with Josh the other night and it was terrible. He also knew that Josh didn't believe it was over and that Beth would still have to deal with him again.

Inside the apartment Beth hung her jacket up on the hooks by the door and made her way into the kitchen to set her purse down on the counter. "Hey, while I gather some clothes and things could you pack my computer into the case there? I'll need it and somehow I feel naked without it."

"Naked isn't such a bad thing Beth," he teased and then he laughed as he saw her impudently stick her tongue out at him. He almost made a flippant remark about bad girls but decided that if they started on that they would never get out of here. Plus, there was too much Josh still left in the room; he could scent him all over and he had no intention making love to Beth while smelling that.

Instead, he headed over to the desk and started packing up the necessary equipment so that she would be able to use her computer. After he was done he went into her bedroom and watched as she sorted through things to take with her. It wasn't a huge amount but it was enough to make him see that she intended staying with him a lot. He couldn't help the grin that lit up his face.

"What are you grinning at?" she asked as she folded night things into neat little piles. Beautiful, scanty night things he realized. He saw her removing the tags on some of it and realized it had never been worn which made him grin even more.

Mick's brain started racing to think of an answer because he doubted she would like the truth. "Just watching how neatly you are folding everything. I hadn't expected you to be so neat I guess." He hoped the answer would satisfy her.

Beth knew a line when she heard it but let it go. It was disconcerting having him in her bedroom and while she wanted him really badly, she wouldn't do it with him in the bed she had shared with Josh. A new bed would be on her list as well.

Beth packed it all away into a large suitcase and then went into the bathroom for toiletries. Mick heard her humming while she was in there but couldn't place the tune. This felt so intimate, being here with her in her bedroom as she rummaged around in the bathroom and suddenly he knew he had to get out of there.

"Hey Beth, I think I'll take the suitcase and computer down to the car okay? I'll be right back up," he said, already on his way.

As he came down the steps he was lost in the emotions that were overpowering him; he had never been so happy in his entire life. But that joy kept him from noticing Josh sitting in his car across the street, watching Mick as he loaded the suitcase and computer into the car.

Josh knew it; he knew that all this involved Mick St. John. Now Beth was apparently moving in with him. Well, not if he had anything to say about it that is. When Mick headed back into the apartment Josh started his car and drove away, determined to figure out a way to make Beth see what a mistake this was.

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When Beth and Mick got back to his building she pulled the Prius into the space next to his and hopped out. Mick was already waiting for her and she smiled because he was practically bouncing up and down with happiness. He wore that goofy, half grin he sometimes got when he was really happy and it made her feel good too. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him enthusiastically.

"Whoa Beth, let's get upstairs," he laughed.

"What, afraid of a little excitement down here? It could be fun!"

He shook his head and picked up her bag and the computer and headed to the elevator. "C'mon, let's go upstairs! I have a lot to show you."

As soon as the door closed behind them Beth made a dash for the stairs. At the bottom step she turned to Mick and said, "C'mon Mick! I'll race you!"

He laughed and before she even knew it he was past her and waiting at the top of the stairs, bags and all. She blinked her surprise and giggled, taking the stairs two at a time in order to get to him. At the top stair she leaned up and kissed him and then walked past him, throwing a sultry look over her shoulder.

Mick was a smart guy and before she knew it he had set the bags down and scooped her up into his arms. They stood in front of the bedroom door and Mick asked, "Ready?"

Beth's response was a giggle and a nod. "Okay, close your eyes!" Mick opened the door and carried her in.

"Carrying me over the threshold?" she teased and then grew embarrassed as she realized how her words must have sounded to him. _Great, now he thinks I'm not only moving in but looking to get married!_

Mick looked at her, trying to decipher her words. _Would she even consider marrying me?_ He wished he dared to ask because nothing would make him happier. Try as hard as he might to be a 21st century guy, the truth was that he was still an 'old school' kind of guy and when you loved someone, you married them.

He sat her down on the floor and told her she could open her eyes. When she opened them and took in the sights before her she sighed at the beauty of the room.

"Oh Mick, its perfect! She walked forward to the large king size pedestal bed, in a beautiful teak finish. Four large carved posts decorated each corner and Beth ran her hands lovingly over the smoothly polished wood. The dresser, chest and night stands were all of the same polished teak. The duvet and bedding were all a rich coral color, with cream colored accents. It was girlish enough to please her but the wood of the furnishings also gave it a masculine feel.

She stepped up on the pedestal and sat on the bed, running her fingers over the satiny duvet. She looked up at Mick who was watching her reactions and she patted the bed beside her. "Are you going to stand there all night or are we going to try it out?"

Her words and the fiery look in her eyes made him suck in a deep breath. He could swear that her eyes flashed a dark blue for an instant; a look of intense desire and for a moment his eyes flashed silver in response. They stared into each other's eyes for a few heartbeats and Beth licked her lips in anticipation.

He finally moved forward to her and she rose from the bed and met him halfway. He pulled her against him and she felt the heated proof of his desire pressing against her belly. He kissed her, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss that seared them both. Beth tipped her head back and Micks mouth slid down, over her jaw where he placed small nibbling kisses only to glide even farther down, to her neck. She arched her neck, offering it to him and thrilled to feel his mouth lovingly kiss it. His tongue traced the vein that was pulsing frantically and he pulled gently at the silken skin with his blunt teeth until her knees started to give away and she was trembling.

His mouth glided back up to her rosy lips that were parted as they waited for his kiss. He scooped her up and carried her back to the bed and gently laid her down on the bedcovers. He stood above her, staring at her beauty and a low growl escaped him as he smelled her desire for him.

"Let's get rid of a few of these clothes, hm?" he said, unbuttoning her blouse slowly. His eyes never left hers as one by one the buttons opened revealing her satiny skin. His eyes swept downward to look at her as he drew a finger down her neck and over her collar bone. His mouth followed the path, nibbling along the way. Goosebumps rose in the wake of his mouth and Beth shivered with desire.

Mick eased her blouse off of her and slipped his fingers into the sheer lace of her bra, dipping to find nipples that were already puckered with need. His mouth captured one through the lace of her bra and tugged gently on it. A small mewl of desire escaped Beth's lips and Mick smiled as he gave her other breast the same attention.

Her heart was racing and the scent of her arousal filled his senses, enthralling him, making him want her so badly that he had to fight himself to wait to take her. He reached down and unfastened the clasp of the bra and she shrugged out of it. He tossed it carelessly to the floor, joining her blouse. Mick then unfastened her slacks and slid them down her legs, letting his hands caress her skin as he went. One final tug pulled them free from her feet and she lay before him, wearing only tiny lace panties.

He stared at her, mesmerized as he realized he could see the proof of her desire through the lace, the outline of her swollen lips and the tight knot of desire that were already bathed in the juices of her need for him. Mick swallowed hard and repeated the action as he imagined tasting her.

Beth looked into his eyes that were just beginning to silver with his need. She slipped her panties off and handed them to him. He raised them to his face and inhaled, letting the scent of her arousal flow through him. His eyes raked at her hungrily, first watching the pulse that was thrumming wildly in her neck and then down to the twin rosebuds that topped the swell of her breasts. Finally they came to rest on the blonde curls that covered her wet folds. A finger slipped between them and he stroked delicately, feeling the slickness of her juices cover his fingers.

He delved first one and then another finger into her silken depths, stroking her until he felt her muscles grip him in response. When he pulled his fingers out of her he slipped them into his mouth and tasted her which sent an immediately signal to his inner vamp. It demanded to come out and Mick quickly removed his clothes and joined her on the bed, spreading her legs apart a bit farther before burying his face in her honeyed folds. His mouth and lips paid homage to her, before his tongue started a slow and sensual dance up and down the slippery valley. He lightly sucked on her flesh and was rewarded with a loud moan as she pushed her hips up to his mouth, urging him to lick harder and faster.

Mick was happy to oblige. He worshiped her, kissing and licking until she was coming undone for him, her hips gyrating wildly with her release. After she settled down a bit he started kissing his way upwards until he could capture her mouth in a searing kiss.

"Mick, I want to taste you, please?" she begged as she reached for his hardened length.

"No Beth, tonight it's all about you," he murmured against her neck, nuzzling it with his lips before nipping lightly at it. He slid himself into her depths, driving all the way in before kissing her mouth again. His tongue stroked her boldly, twisting and entwining with hers as their tongues mated in a scorching dance that melted them both.

Beth's legs came around Micks hips and she moved with him; coming together and then moving smoothly apart. On and on it went until both of them were panting and ready to come.

"Please Mick, bite me," she begged, aching for the bite that connected them.

He wanted that bite, but he was so afraid it was too soon. He decided that he'd only bite and take a mouthful, just one. He needed her, the essence of her. She saw the vamp emerge in him and thrilled as she realized she had won, that he would bite her. Her neck arched in invitation and after a few more strokes he was ready, they both were and he lowered his head, sniffing along the vein to find the right spot.

Beth fell over the edge when she felt his mouth on her neck and when the bite came she immediately shattered again, screaming his name. Goose bumps covered her body and her hips jerked wildly, pushing against him in abandon.

When his fangs sank into the delicate skin of her neck Mick almost swooned with the pleasure that the bite brought him. He let her sweet, passion filled blood flow over his tongue as he took one mouthful, then another before he pulled his mouth away because he couldn't trust himself to stop. He gently licked at the marks, sealing them with a final kiss and then rolled to his side, pulling her with him.

Mick listened as her breathing returned to normal and her heartbeat slowed a bit. Beth rested her head against his chest and her fingers played lightly in the fine hairs that covered his chest. She sighed and curled up a bit tighter.

"Are you cold Beth?" he asked, immediately worried about her.

"Um, a little. Can we get under the covers?" she asked, smiling up at him.

He stood up and pulled the covers back, sliding them under her body so she didn't have to get up. "Um, satin sheets! Wow Mick, you really went all out."

He grinned and went to the dresser and lit a candle that was on top of it. It cast a warm mellow glow about the room and in the flickering light he could see her eyes sparkle as she smiled at him.

He crawled back into the bed with her and she snuggled closer, wrapping an arm around him and draping her leg over his.

"Happy?" he dared to ask; he held his breath waiting for her answer.

"Yes. I've never been happier! But there is one thing wrong; just one tiny little thing really!" she teased.

He looked at her with alarm, almost afraid to ask. "What's wrong baby?"

"I'm starving! Do you think we can go downstairs and find some of that food you bought me?"

He gave her the lop-sided grin again and said, "Whatever you want!"

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The next few days flew past as Beth and Mick worked a case involving a missing call girl, a dead call girl and a juvenile delinquent 16 year old vampire who was going on 197 years old. It was actually two cases that turned out to be the same one and when it was done one of the girls went home with her parents and the other was buried, lost to this world.

It was a difficult case and made both Mick and Beth think about their lives and the newfound happiness they shared. When they weren't working they made love and shared meals. Mick was self-conscious at first about drinking his meals in front of her, but she finally got it though to him that it didn't bother her a bit. Once or twice he had a 'fresh' meal at Josef's and although Beth wasn't thrilled about it, she accepted it when Mick assured her there was nothing going on but feeding.

She understood all that better after the situation in the desert. When it finally occurred to her that he truly did see the freshies as only food she was okay with it. Well, if she were really honest maybe not 'okay' but she could live with it. It was a part of his life and so she accepted it.

What bothered her the most was knowing that the girls felt pleasure in his bite. It wasn't that she wanted him to hurt them, but did he have to make them so damn happy? She decided that she just couldn't think about it anymore and put it out of her mind.

A few days after they wrapped the call girls murder up she got a call from Mo to cover a fashion shot. Mo was pissed because Beth refused to bring in cameras to cover the reuniting of the one of the girls and her parents and since them Mo had sent her on every type of shoot except for crime stories, knowing how much Beth detested it. So that afternoon Beth and Steve found themselves at a high-fashion shoot with models who were veritable stick figures in clothes as Beth described, 'fashion only a broomstick could wear'. Steve teased her about her harsh and condescending attitude but she didn't care, the whole shoot was boring.

Until Renee Beresford, one of the models collapsed into convulsions and died, right in front of them all. Steve captured it all on tape and Beth counted that a stroke of luck.

They were getting ready to file their report when Carl and Josh walked in, taking charge of the crime scene. Beth could only stare at Josh for a moment; they hadn't seen each other since she broke up with him.

"Beth," Josh said, smiling at her. This could be just what he needed he decided to get her back.

"Hi Josh…Carl," she said, nodding to the detective.

"You get any video on this Beth?" Carl asked.

"Yes."

"I'm gonna need that tape he said," and Beth's curiosity immediately kicked in and she asked why.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave this crime scene," Carl countered as Steve handed him the tape.

"Crime scene?" Beth asked.

Josh told her, "I'm asking you not to follow this story Beth."

"Why? Since when did this become a crime scene Josh?"

He didn't answer but only walked her to the door, thinking of what he wanted to say to her. "Hey Beth, things have been really crazy lately, but how about dinner soon, just so we can talk?"

"Josh, we said everything we needed to say," she told him, already dismissing the idea.

"Yeah, I know how you feel but come on Beth, we were together for a year! Don't you feel like you owe me a dinner to, I don't know, finish things out?"

"Closure? You want closure? Is that what this is about Josh?"

It absolutely wasn't; he figured if he could get her alone he could talk some sane, rational sense into her. But he was willing to play whatever cards he had in order to get what he wanted. "Yes, I need that Beth. Please?"

"Okay. I'll call you next week and we can talk."

Beth walked to the Buzzwire van unaware of the satisfied smile that Josh wore.

On the way back to Buzzwire Beth asked Steve, "Have you ever heard of Club Valis?"

Steve frowned for a moment and replied, "Nope. What is it?"

"Some new club in town. One of the models I talked to mentioned that Renee was there last night and that this morning she said that she was quitting modeling. Something must have happened there.

"Maybe. Who knows? So how pissed is Mo going to be that we don't have a tape?" he grinned.

Beth laughed, but it was a wry laugh. Mo was going to be plenty pissed but Beth was already working on a way to redeem herself. She needed back on the crime beat.

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Beth did some research and found Club Valis and made plans to head there that evening. She got ready from her apartment because Mick was working on some case for Josef. She spent way too much time getting ready but she knew how those clubs worked, you had to look fantastic to get past the doorman and she definitely wanted past.

At the door she got right in and after talking to a few people discovered a VIP room that had her curious. She couldn't get past the door guard though and she left, puzzling over how to make it past him.

She lucked out when she got a call from Ryan at the morgue saying she could look at Renee's body. Beth discovered that there had been a computer chip in Renee's hand and she remembered how the door guard scanned her hand before refusing her entry. She knew that she had found her invitation.

She ran into Mick outside and he told her he could help with the microchip issue. While he was implanting it in her hand he told her about what he was working on for Josef. He was trying to find a woman named Lola who had made off with a million of Josef's dollars. He had tracked her and found out that she had bought a large amount of silver, which was deadly to vamps. Beth told him that what had likely killed Renee Beresford was silver that she got in a drug at Club Valis. Mick decided he needed to check the club out with Beth.

Outside Club Valis they went their separate ways; Mick to gain entry through a window because he didn't have a chip and Beth through the door. When the door guard scanned her hand he let her in but immediately went to Lola and told her that Beth had Renee's chip.

Upstairs was like some kind of drug parlor, people engaged in various acts, some sexual and some not but all apparently under the influence of some kind of drug. A server came by and offered Beth Black Crystal, which she accepted and slipped into her purse.

"We prefer you consume it on the premises," a sultry voice with a British accent said.

Beth looked at the woman; she was beautiful and she looked at Beth with a penetrating gaze that disconcerted her.

"I'm going to share it with a friend," she said.

Just then Mick appeared and said, "Am I late? You must be Lola."

"And you are?" she asked, immediately recognizing that he was a vamp.

"We have a mutual friend. He's worried about you."

"Trust me, he's not worried. Is this your little friend here?" She walked around Beth, eyeing her and said to her, "Your friend and I have something in common but you can see that can't you?"

"Leave her alone!" Mick demanded. To Beth he said, "You got what you wanted now leave."

"He has feelings for you but he hasn't turned you. Don't you want to know what it feels like to move through the night so powerful nothing can touch you?" She indicated the Black Crystal and said, "Try it, just once and you'll see."

Just them the lights started flashing and people were yelling that LA PD was there and it was a raid. Lola whispered into Beth's ear, "Remember darling, half the world is night!"

Josh and Carl came up the stairs and saw Mick and Beth. Josh looked defeated but told Carl to search everyone, beginning with Mick. It infuriated Beth as she watched Carl push Mick roughly up against a column to pat him down. She and Mick got separated and she sat outside waiting to talk to Josh about what she had been doing there. He was upset because he had told her not to follow the case.

"You were there with Mick." It was an accusation.

"Yes, I was. We're together now, but we were only working a case Josh. We weren't there to party."

"You and Mick huh? I thought you said it wasn't about him?"

"Things have changed since then Josh. I love him and he loves me; that's not going to change."

Josh digested the information and it finally made sense to him and fell into place – he had lost her, really lost her; to Mick St. John of all people. He sighed and said, "Come on, I'll take you home, okay?"

She nodded; it was against her better judgment, but she went with him. She figured that the whole way to her apartment would be an interrogation but surprisingly he was silent for most of the ride. When he pulled up in front of her building he said, "I have to admit that I'm sorry things worked out this way Beth, but I really hope St. John deserves you. "

"Thanks Josh. He is a good man, he really is."

"Yeah, a good man. Well, take care." He watched her get out of the car and head into her apartment. It was over and it was time to move on.

Beth got out of the car and shut it softly and ran up the steps at her apartment. She didn't look back.

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Beth tried calling Mick a couple of times but his phone went straight to voice mail. While she waited for him to get home she started to investigate the BC. She opened the vial and sniffed it; it smelled really weird. She was tempted to taste it but decided against it. Instead she sat and pensively stared at the computer but all she could think about were Lola's words, "_Don't you want to know what it feels like to move through the night so powerful nothing can touch you? Try it, just once and you'll see."_

What did that feel like she wondered? What did Mick feel as he went through his life? The thoughts went round and round in her head and she finally decided what she was going to do.

An hour later she knocked on Mick's door. She had a key but still felt a bit strange using it. Mick answered right away.

"Hi," she said, walking in and taking her coat off.

"Hi," he answered back, pulling her to him for a kiss.

"I walked all the way here," she told him, looking around the room.

Mick could only stare at her in puzzlement. She was wearing something that could only loosely be called a dress; it looked more like a slip to him and she was acting really strange. "Why would you do that Beth?"

"I wanted to feel the night," she told him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his head down for another kiss.

"Did you take some of that drug Beth?"

"No. I thought about it, but then I decided it wasn't what I want." She ran her finger down his lips and said, "I'm going upstairs Mick, join me."

He stared at her as she walked up the stairs. What the hell was going on he wondered. No matter, he followed her and found her in the bathroom pulling her dress off and turning the shower on. She stood under the spray and held her hand out to Mick.

He wasted no time shedding his own clothes and stepped into the shower with her. He pulled her into his embrace and kissed her, her face, her lips, and her neck.

"Yes Mick, that's it. Mick, turn me!"

"What?" He took a step away from her and looked down at her, meeting her eyes. "I don't know what's going on Beth, but I'm not going to do this, not like this."

"I've been thinking about it for days Mick. I know what I'm getting into. Turn me, now please." She entwined her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth back down to hers. "Turn me Mick, NOW!"

"Oh baby, are you sure you want this? Really sure? Beth this changes everything about your life, you know that."

"I know Mick. Now, turn me!" she demanded.

Mick sank to the floor of the shower and pulled her down with him. "Baby, this isn't so easy. I have to drink a lot of your blood and you'll feel dizzy and light-headed and your heart will slow down. It's scary Beth. And then you'll have to drink my blood. Can you do that?"

To demonstrate she bit him on the neck, hard enough to break the skin and she lapped at his blood and immediately felt a rush of energy flow through her. "DO it Mick!"

He buried his face in her hair and kissed her lips again and listed to her heartbeat; a sound he wouldn't hear any longer. Tears ran down his cheek, mixing with the warm water of the shower. "Beth," he almost cried. "Are you sure?"

"Yes Mick. I'm positive. I want this; I want to be with you. Do you want that too?"

If he were really honest with himself he knew that he wanted that more than anything. She seemed so sure as she waited for him to make his decision, not afraid at all. She was his mate; this was meant to be.

He dipped his head to claim her lips in a kiss; his lips opening and playing deliciously with hers. He shifted her on his lap so that his hand could stroke her warm and wet depths in an effort to relax her even more. Soon, she was moaning and squirming with the pleasure he was brining her.

His mouth slid to her neck and struck quickly and surely; her blood started to flow into his mouth and he drank, trying not to suck to hard because he didn't want to collapse the vein. It brought her over the edge and she came against his hand, panting through her orgasm.

Beth felt herself sinking or maybe floating was a better word. Yes, floating on a cloud. She felt the rhythmic pull of his mouth against her neck and she realized she was having a hard time breathing.

"Mick, don't stop. I love you Mick…don't stop."

Mick continued to drink, paying attention to her heartbeat which was beginning to slow down.

"I love you…don't stop Mick. I love you…I love yo…"

He pulled away, realizing he had taken enough of her blood. He used his fang to tear open a gash on her wrist and held it to her mouth. "Drink Beth, c'mon baby drink for me."

The blood dripped into her mouth and suddenly he saw her tongue creep out and lick it off of her lips. She then pulled his wrist to her mouth and drank deeply until she had taken enough. Mick pulled his arm away and held her close.

Beth was between worlds, not quite dead and not quite alive either. There was no bright lights, only a heady feeling and then the delicious taste of Mick's blood. God, she couldn't get enough of the blood and she drank until she could drink anymore. She was at peace.

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Mick washed and rinsed her body and then dried her off lovingly. He placed her into the freezer before drying himself off and crawling in with her. It was cozy and he knew that soon there would be another purchase he would need to make; a new, bigger freezer.

She rested for several hours with Mick watching her carefully. She was still breathing, a reflex left over from her humanity. When her eyes opened she looked around and saw Mick holding her. She smiled at him, reaching up to feel for fangs.

"Didn't it work?" she asked when she didn't feel them.

"Yes, as soon as you're hungry they'll come down, I promise." He brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her tenderly.

"We're in the freezer," she noticed.

"Um hm; I put you in here as soon as I got you dried off. Your hair was still a bit damp though, sorry."

"No matter. I made it. You did it Mick!"

"Yeah. Are your happy Beth?" He was almost afraid to hear her answer.

"I couldn't be happier. Thank you Mick."

"You're welcome Beth. You are my life and it means so much to me that you wanted to share this with me. Thank you Beth." He kissed her and felt her fangs start to poke through. He traced them with his tongue and then smiled as he said, "I think you must be hungry."

"Yes, a little. I'm hungry for our new lives to start. I love you Mick!"

"I love you too Beth. Always."

"Forever Mick."

The End…Beginning.

Thank you for reading my sometimes strange and Twisted tale of what if for Mick and Beth. Your comments are the perfect encouragement for an author to hear. I love hearing what you think and all the speculation. It makes it all worthwhile! There will be a second set of stories in the Twisted family in the new year as Beth learns to cope with her new life and threat comes along that could change their lives together forever.

I have to say a special and heartfelt thanks to VF5 for all her help, ideas and opinions that were so freely offered and shared as I wrote this story. Without her, it might now have ever taken shape. Julia, you are the best!


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